Regulation of K-Ras-induced signal transduction by Galectin-3 and Galectin-8 in adenocarcioma cell lines of lung and pancreas

Activating point mutations in codon 12 or 13 of the monomeric GTPase K-Ras are prominent mutations in adenocarcinoma of the lung and the pancreas. Deregulated activation of K-Ras results in an aberrant activation of downstream effector pathways, which are involved in the regulation of cell proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation and cell migration. Mutations in Ras, which constitutively activate the protein, promote several cellular characteristics attributed to tumor progression and malignant transformation. The localization and signal intensity of the different Ras isoforms is regulated by its interaction wi…